Genetic determination of height-mediated mate choice

Genome Biology
Albert TenesaOriol Canela-Xandri

Abstract

Numerous studies have reported positive correlations among couples for height. This suggests that humans find individuals of similar height attractive. However, the answer to whether the choice of a mate with a similar phenotype is genetically or environmentally determined has been elusive. Here we provide an estimate of the genetic contribution to height choice in mates in 13,068 genotyped couples. Using a mixed linear model we show that 4.1% of the variation in the mate height choice is determined by a person's own genotype, as expected in a model where one's height determines the choice of mate height. Furthermore, the genotype of an individual predicts their partners' height in an independent dataset of 15,437 individuals with 13% accuracy, which is 64% of the theoretical maximum achievable with a heritability of 0.041. Theoretical predictions suggest that approximately 5% of the heritability of height is due to the positive covariance between allelic effects at different loci, which is caused by assortative mating. Hence, the coupling of alleles with similar effects could substantially contribute to the missing heritability of height. These estimates provide new insight into the mechanisms that govern mate choice in humans...Continue Reading

References

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Dec 15, 2015·Nature Communications·Oriol Canela-XandriAlbert Tenesa

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Citations

Dec 16, 2016·PloS One·Oriol Canela-XandriAlbert Tenesa
Jul 5, 2018·Genetic Epidemiology·Fernando Pires HartwigGeorge Davey Smith
Oct 28, 2016·G3 : Genes - Genomes - Genetics·Philip W Hedrick
Apr 17, 2019·Nature Human Behaviour·Loic YengoPeter M Visscher
Apr 21, 2020·The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism·Rebecca J GordonMichael A Levine
Feb 7, 2019·Heredity·Konrad RawlikAlbert Tenesa
Nov 21, 2019·Nature Communications·Laurence J HoweGibran Hemani
Apr 11, 2019·Genetics·Peter M Visscher, Michael E Goddard
Feb 13, 2016·Genome Biology·Albert TenesaOriol Canela-Xandri
Dec 16, 2020·Nature Human Behaviour·Charley XiaAlbert Tenesa
May 16, 2021·Health Economics Review·Katherine DickMichael Lean
Aug 31, 2021·Frontiers in Oncology·Jian-Zeng GuoTing-Ting Gong
Nov 5, 2021·PLoS Genetics·Laurence J HoweGeorge Davey Smith
Nov 24, 2021·Biology Letters·Thomas M M VersluysVincent Savolainen

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
genotyping
PCA

Software Mentioned

BiLEVE
ARCHER
DISSECT

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